Power elevatable bath tub seat



' 0t.1s,:1963 1 -1R.Rpm-.ERvv snows POWER mmm-BLE BATH ysluvr Filed Jan. 4, .1963 2`Sheets-Sheet 1 THEODORE R CARPENTER ATTORN EV POWER ELEVATABLE BATH vTUB SEAT Filed Jani 4, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THEODORE R CAR PENTER IT BY ATTORNE.J

T. R. CARPENTER y 3,105,723

United States Patent Oiiice 3,196,723 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 3 106 723 POWER ELEVATBIIE BATH TUB SEAT Theodore R. Carpenter, 92 Bartlett St., Rochester 8, VN Y. Filed Jan. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 249,380 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) This invention relates to 'bath tub seats having a power lift for elevating and lowering the same.

Bath tub bathing for convalescents 'and those suering from physical disabilities 4and others presents a problem in that in climbing into the tub, and out, ,assistance is necessary to prevent accident. Such `assistance however creates a strain due to the nature of the operation, which involves lifting the bather over the tub rim, and lowering such individual into a sitting position on the tub bottom. After the bath the reverse procedure of lifting the individual `from the tub presents `a still further problem.

The present invention is directed to and has for its object to provide a power seat mounted in the tub which is adapted to move from a position iiush with the tub rim to a position close to the tub bottom, land which seat, when lowered is relatively .close to the tu'b bottom. A furthe-r object lof the invention is to pro-vide a seat which is power actuated in a direct manner from a cylinder below the tub. In addition, a Ifurther object of the invention is to provide an actuating mechanism which ampliiies the stroke of the power cylinder, so that the length of the cylinder may be relatively short. Thus the cylinder may be located :beneath the tub and, if necessary, extend into a floor lrecess to such depth as may be necessary, Without disturbing the ceiling below, the floor joist sub-structure affording ample space, in any event.

The above and other objects and novel features ofthe invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when .taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed lfor purposes of illustration lonly and are not designed as -a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like pants:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of atub with seat with parts broken away and .the sea-t lift sh-own in longitudinal section taken substantially on .the line 11 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 2 is a view simil-a1' to FIGURE l, with the seat lowered; and

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view ltaken substantially on the broken line 3-3 of FIGURE l.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a tub 20, having feet 22 which support the same above the floor level 24. Within the tub, -there is shown an elevating seat of unitary construction mounted on the tub bottom 26, with an operating cylinder 28 located below the tub. The seat assembly comprises a base platte 39, having upstanding anges 32 and 34, extending Ialong the side edges thereof. The plate is mounted centrally upon a heavy rectangular gasket 36 bearing on the tub bottom,

and is secured to a cylinder end Iblock 38 disposed below the tub bottom, with a second block gasket 4t) interposed between the .cylinder block and .tub bottom. A plurality of bolts 42 passing through the tub bottom clamp the plate 30 firmly in horizontal position, and secure the cylinder rigidly in position beneath the tub.

At opposite ends of the ibase plate 30 'are four flange supported bearing plates such -as `fli4l, 45 rand 46 having apertures through which extend transverse rods 43 and 50, upon which are pivoted, at one end, crossed lift arms 54 and 58, and 52 and 56 respectively.

The other ends of the laterally spaced lift arms 52 and 56 are provided with a transverse rod 60, and the other end of spaced arms 54 and 58 [are provided with a transverse rod 62. The arms 52 and 56 `are rigidly connected by a transverse tie member 76 adjacent the rod 60, and similarly the arms 54 and 58 are provided with a transverse tie member 78. The arms 52 and 56 are spaced so as to lie just within farms 54 and 58.

v Axed on the outer ends of the rods 60 and 62, which are of equal length, are water tight anti-friction bearings, the outer raceway elements of which constitute rollers such as 64. The rods Iare provided with suitable collars 72 to position the rods with respect to the lift arms. The rollers on opposite sides are disposed within the facing channel members 66 and 68 axed to the under side of a seat plat-form 70, adjacent the side edges thereof. The channels are of a width to receive 'the rollers 64 with slight clearance. The lower ends of the arms 52 and 56 and 54 and 5S, have their pivotal locations upon their respective rods 43 and 50 fixed by suitable spacer sleeves a-s at 80, 82 and S4.

In order to elevate and lower the seat, and to maintain the seat level during the operation, the heavy reciprocating piston rod S6 projecting from the cylinder 28 is affixed to a horizontal lift plate 88, having side flanges and 92, which are provided on their inside faces at either endl with apertured bearing plates such as 93, 95, and 99 in Iwhich are journalled the ends of lift rods 94 and 96. The lift rods 94 and 96 engage and bear against the under sides of the arms 52, 56 and 54, 58 respectively. It will thus be seen that with ra relatively short stroke of the piston `S7 in the cylinder 28, the seat may be elevated to its full height, the upward movement of the lift plate 88, and the lift rods 94 and 96 rolling on the underside of arms 52, 54, 56 and 58, substantially amplifying the movement, such that la cylinder of short length and stroke is possible. Such a cylinder need only project through the door into the door structure -a short distance, or the tub may be elevated slightly, so that the cylinder need notV project through the oor level.

Stops such as 10G on the channel members, serve to center the seat platform in respect to the elevating mechanism, when in raised position. To maintain the seat platform central during the lowering thereof, any suitable means such las tension springs 106 connecting the rods 60 and 62 to a center pin 163 beneath the platform tend to maintain the seat platform central during up and down movement, rand stops such as 1116 serve to center the seat platform when lowered.

The cylinder 28 is :supplied with fluid under pressure from its lower end by a conduit 112 leading to aconveniently located three way control Valve 114 connected to a source of fluid pressure which may be compressed air. 'Ille valve is provided with a vent. The operating handle may have three positions, one for elevating, which connects the source of'fluid pressure to the conduit 112, an off position, and Ia vent position, which connects the conduit 112 .-to vent, for lowering. The vent may be restricted to govern the rate of descent.

The seat platform is preferably provided with a Water impervious cushion 120, and a flexible, and somewhat elastic sheet cover, the side portions y'124 of which are of a suitable length so that the same may extend from the seat ysides whether up or down, to the tub rim and be hooked over the depending n'm flange as at 130. The curtain portions serve to prevent and protect the bather from injury (from the movement of the parts during elevating and lowering of the seat. The cover may have its side edges secured to the tub rim, in lany suitable manner, as by adhesive, or by a bead like hook as at 130.

It Will be seen that the seat channels 65 and 68, when lowered, may nest within the base structure, and rest upon the sleeves 32 and 84, and that the arms 52, 54, 56 and 58, just clear the sleeves Sil, and S2 and 84. The lift plate 8S, when the seat is lowered, nests within the flanges 32 and 34. Thus the construction is such that the seat level when lowered, is close to the tub bottom, and through .the linlcage shown, a substantial ilift height is provided, with a relatively short cylinder stroke. Such stroke and the cylinder may be further shortened by slightly increasing the spacing bet-Ween the lift bars 94 and 96. In such `case the -diameter of the cylinder may be increased to provide the necessary additional thrust.

While a single modication of the invention has :been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As Various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made Without `departing from the spirit .of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An elevatable bath tub seat -comprising ya base plate adapted to be mounted on the bottom of a bath tub, two pairs of crossed arms pivotally mounted iat one of their ends with respect to said base plate along each side of and adjacent the opposite ends of said plate, a cross shaft carried by one arm of each pair of arms -at their opposite ends, a cross shaft carried 4by the other arms of each pair at their opposite ends, rollers ion both ends of each of said cross shafts disposed outside of said arms, a seat platform having facing side ichannels on the underside thereof and disposed along the opposite side edges thereof, each channel embracing 4the rollers on the opposite ends of said shafts, a lift plate disposed above said base plate and having transverse bars engaging the undersides of said arms, and a vertical cylinder adapted to be disposed below said tub and adapted to be rigidly secured to said plate in clamping relation to the tub bottom, and a piston having a piston rod, said rod extending upwardly out of said cylinder, and 'adapted to project through an aperture in the tub bottom, and having its upper end rigidly secured to said lift plate, and means for introducing fluid pressure into the lower end of said cylinder to 4 drive the piston and lift plate upwardly to raise said seat platform, and means in said channel members for limiting the movement of the rollers `along the length of said channels whereby to center said platform when elevated, and lowered.

2. An elevatable bath tub seat comprising in combination, a tub having a bottom, base plate mounted on the bottom of said tub, two pairs of crossed arms pivotally mounted at one of their ends with respect to said base plate along each side of and adjacent the opposite ends of said plate, a cross shaft carried by one arm of each pair of arms at their opposite ends, a cross shaft carried by the `other arms of each pair at their opposite ends, rollers on both ends of each of Said cross shafts disposed outside of said arms, a seat platform having facing side channels on the underside thereof and disposed along the opposite side edges thereof, each channel embracing the rollers on the opposite ends of said shafts, a lift plate disposed above said base plate and having transevrse bars engaging the undersides of said arms, and a vertical cylinder disposed below said tub and rigidly secured to said base plate in clamping relation to the tub bottom, and a piston having a piston rod, said rod extending upwardly out of said cylinder, and projecting through an aperture in the .tub bottom, and having its upper end rigidly secured to said lift plate, and means for introducing fluid pressure into the lower end of said cylinder to drive the piston and lift plate upwardly t0 raise said seat platform, and means in said channel members for limiting the movement of the rollers along the length of said channels whereby to center said platform when elevated, and lowered.

3. An elevatable bath tub seat as set forth in claim 2, having resilient centering means connecting each of said shafts and the underside of said seat platform at the center thereof.

4. An eleva-table bath tub seat as set forth in claim 2, wherein the tub has a surrounding rim, and the seat platform is provided with a cover having flexible portions extending to and secured over the tub rim.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,725,578 Keller Dec. 6, 1955 2,772,721 Saunders Dec. 4, 1956 2,862,689 Dalrymple et al. Dec. 2, 1958 

1. AN ELEVATABLE BATH TUB SEAT COMPRISING A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF A BATH TUB, TWO PAIRS OF CROSSED ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE PLATE ALONG END SIDE OF AND ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID PLATE, A CROSS SHAFT CARRIED BY ONE ARM OF EACH PAIR OF ARMS AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS, A CROSS SHAFT CARRIED BY THE OTHER ARMS OF EACH PAIR AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS, ROLLERS ON BOTH ENDS OF EACH OF SAID CROSS SHAFTS DISPOSED OUTSIDE OF SAID ARMS, A SEAT PLATFORM HAVING FACING SIDE CHANNELS ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF AND DISPOSED ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDE EDGE THEREOF, EACH CHANNEL EMBRACING THE ROLLERS ON THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SHAFTS, A LIFT PLATE DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BASE PLATE AND HAVING TRANSVERSE BARS ENGAGING THE UNDERSIDES OF SAID ARMS, AND A VERTICAL CYLINDER ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED BELOW SAID TUB AND ADAPTED TO BE RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID PLATE IN CLAMPING RELATION TO THE TUB BOTTOM, AND A PISTON HAVING A PISTON ROD, SAID ROD EXTENDING UPWARDLY OUT OF SAID CYLINDER, AND ADAPED TO PROJECT THROUGH AN 